There is something truly criminal about
deliberately calling the failed test and trace programme the
NHS Test and Trace but not calling the pretty good vaccine programme the
NHS Vaccine Programme. That really is scraping the bottom of the barrel
when it comes to gilding your so very tarnished lilies, Mr Johnson and Mr
Hancock.
Right , now vaccines. Back in December I did some rough sums and
decided that a vaccine for all at risk could be managed by Easter. And it very
much looks like I was right.
To be fair I assumed that they would use the
existing NHS facilities, rather than acquiring a whole load of new locations.
But in the end the vast majority of jabs will be propelled by NHS staff so fair
play.
What we did not fully know then was the 'two-jab' scenario which is what
is exercising some minds.
OK, they say to achieve the first jab for say 30million by
end April-ish but how about TWO JABS?
Well I of course hate to defend anything
this bunch of trained chimps has done but I think they did work out the second
jab issue.
The problem was that getting the most with the first jab was the
priority since that is what is cutting the NHS impact of the second wave.
So we
saw them start at about 250,000 a day and now it has ramped to over 400,000.
The
cheat was on the Pfizer jab - ratified at 3-4 weeks Hancock and co cheekily
expanded that to the AZ-O 12 weeks to give them a chance to:
A - get the most people with the first and
B - have a fair chance of getting the second in as well.
Now we shall see if the plan works. Reaching the most at risk
means about 20million; we are there on first jab. We are starting on second jab. If
we can manage the 400k a day that is around 3million a week.
7-8 weeks will see some 20m hospital risk cases with a 70-90% protection. I say they can do it.
When I did my piece the 'two-jab' scenario had not been
declared. It is in the archive - December 19.
(For the record we had our first on January 26; second AZ-O is due late April; stocks permitting!)
